


For The Love Of His Mate

by Sanshal



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-07
Updated: 2014-10-09
Packaged: 2018-02-20 06:11:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2417939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sanshal/pseuds/Sanshal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Sam leaves a 'claimed' Dean behind; the older brother begins to suffer; his health deteriorating in the absence of his mate...but Dean is nothing if not stubborn and he refuses to 'trap' Sam, even if it costs him is life. He gets worse and worse until he ends up in the hospital practically on his death bed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Version - Alpha Sam

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings:  
> This chapter:Alpha/Omega, Mates, angst, near death, Bottom!Dean, Alpha!Sam.  
> \----

A/N- This is my first time writing alpha/top Sam; so pease comment if you like it (or even if you don't, as the case may be...)

\----

 

Sam tried very hard not to look towards the bed as he assembled his things- not wanting to remember the sweet moans of pleasure that had left his Omega’s lips just a few hours prior... ( _His Omega???... No, just an Omega... just... Dean)_.

“So you’re not staying?”

And despite not wanting to, he could not help but glance towards his brother; shaking his head ‘no’.

“Thought so.” Dean muttered to himself, then louder, “Check the right pocket of my duffel; you’ll find some money. Take it.”

“Dean, I-“

“I can always earn more, Sammy. Besides you’re gonna need it more than I.”

His brother plopped back down and Sam had to swallow as the movement shifted the thin sheet, giving him a tantalising glimpse of a bare hip. He knew if he were to yank the covers off, he would still find his remains leaking out of the omega’s body and the pale skin to be covered in marks... his marks.

He looked away, determinately heading to the door. Dean was still staring at the ceiling when the door closed behind him.

 

  
∞жж‡жж∞

The next time he heard from... _of_ his family again; it was from a frantic Bobby seven months later. As he drove to South Dakota, he reflected on that last argument with his father. It had hurt like nothing he had ever experienced before to hear their Dad disown him and he desperately wanted Dean to step in; but his brother never left the room and the last he had seen of the omega was him staring at the ceiling, stubbornly refusing to look at Sam.

As he parked the rented car in the dusty salvage yard, he found himself relaxing- the Impala stood gleaming in the sun a few yards away- if Dean had driven himself here, he couldn’t be all that bad, right?

“Bobby!” He called, pushing in through the door and walking into the house, slightly surprised that the paranoid older hunter wasn’t there to greet him. For the briefest second he wished he had his trusty Glock tucked in the back of his jeans; but then remembered that he was no longer in this life.  
“Here!” Was the hoarse reply from upstairs.

Sam took the stairs two at a time, breathing in before he pushed open the door, uncertain of what to expect.

 

He never expected to find Bobby wiping Dean’s brow with a wet wash-cloth. .. especially not a Dean who was too still and too pale and too thin and too...life-less.

“Bobby?”

“I dunno what’s wrong with him Sam... couldn’t reach your Daddy- damn fool has a voice message asking anyone who calls to contact Dean. What if the caller wants to speak to him _about_ Dean, huh? Damn idgits...”

“How long has he been like this?”

“A week now.” The older man muttered, “And he’s getting worse.  If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was suffering from the absence of a mate.”  
“You think Dean’s found himself an alpha?” Sam asked, taken aback. Somehow he couldn’t ( _didn’t want to)_ picture his brash older brother bending over for anyone.

Bobby shrugged, “The worst kind of alpha if that’s true. The bastard apparently claimed your brother but left him unmated.”

Sam looked down to where Dean lay still, blinking back his tears; nobody deserved that kind of cruelty- least of all Dean.

“Huh.”

Sam looked up sharply, “What?”

“Is it just me or did Dean just regain some of his colour?”

Sam looked down in surprise and found the observation correct- the blue tinge to his brother’s lips was decreasing even as he watched. He licked his lips, “what... what do you think is happening?”

“Why don’t you answer that, Sam?”

Sam looked up in shock at the sudden hostility in the beta’s tone, “Huh?”

“your own brother? Really?”

“I- I don’t understand...” Sam stammered.

“Don’t pretend!” Bobby roared. “How could you, Sam? And that too to Dean?”

“Bobby, I-”

The older man turned the omega’s limp head to the side showing the small-faded- bite marks behind his ears, “You’re telling me you aren’t familiar with these? That these aren’t yours?”

Sam gulped, recognising the marks from the only time they had slept together... on the eve of his departure for Stanford.

Dean... apparently Dean had known; because Sam distinctly remembered his brother pushing him away whenever his lips moved near the vicinity of that region- but the delicious sounds that fell from his lips when Sam nibbled there had been too much of a temptation for the young alpha- especially once his knot was lodged firmly in the warmth of his brother’s body. Dean hadn’t said anything after... and Sam found himself wondering why not.

  
Dean had to have known that Sam would have stayed... or at the very least taken him with him if he had known... but then that had always been their  problem; hadn’t it...Dean’s willingness to sacrifice for Sam? It had been one of the main reasons Sam had held back from acting on his desires till his last night with Dean. And still Dean had found a way to be a martyr.

Not anymore.

Not if Sam had a say.

 

  
∞жж‡жж∞

  
“I’ll make this right.” He whispered.

“You’d better.” Bobby growled. “There’s a hunt in the next state... I’ll need a few days. That boy had better be up and about by the time I return.”  
And with that ultimatum, they were alone.

Sam wasted no time undressing the both of them the second the door closed behind Bobby; turning Dean so that he was lying on his stomach; and spreading his limp legs apart. As he worked the Omega open, Sam couldn’t help but remember the last time they had done this- the soft moans of encouragement that had spilled from Dean’s lips as he spouted encouragement and absolute filth alternatively.

This time, the cool-to-touch body neither moved nor reacted and as Sam pushed inside that (still) tight channel, he could feel the tears spilling his eyes, “C’mon, big brother. Wake up; I’m here. I’m back.”

He hated the clinical nature of the coupling, but knowing this was the fasted way to revive Dean, he persevered; tying them together for as long and with as much frequency as he could muster. Sometime around the sixth knotting it struck him that this was probably the closest to necrophilia one could get without using an actual corpse and the thought brought fresh tears to his face.

 

∞жж‡жж∞

Dean woke with a strangled gasp while they were knotted for the eighth or ninth time (Sam had lost count) and true to their training, was instantly fighting to free himself.

“Easy,” Sam whispered, pinning the omega easily under himself- after all, given that Den hadn’t had a real meal for nearly a week now; it wasn’t hard to subdue the feeble struggles, “It’s me.”

“S’mmy?”

“Yeah."

“No! Get off!”

For a minute Sam was taken aback by the fresh struggles and the panic in Dean’s voice; but when the older man’s frantic movements tugged painfully at his knot but still failed to halt Dean, he was forced to wrap his arms (and legs) to contain him.

“Dean!”

“Go away!” came the exhausted reply.

“C’mon, man... you’re scaring me here. Is being knotted to me so bad that you’d rather tear yourself than lay with me?”

“Not s’pposed to be here.” Dean muttered, but held still.

“Why?”

“Don’t want me... wan’ you happy.”

“And leave you to die?”

Dean shrugged.

“You think I could be happy knowing I was the reason for your death?” Sam asked incredulously.

“Wasn’t planning to tell you... Stupid Bobby.”

Sam didn’t know whether to laugh at the petulant reply or cry at Dean’s selflessness. “I love you, you big Jerk! The only reason I never asked you to come along was because I was afraid you’d refuse.”

“Ne’er refused you anything.” Dean grumbled.

“I know. I’m sorry.” Sam whispered, beginning to gradually move his hips in gentle circles now that Dean was awake.

Dean moaned when he hit the right spot; responding with his own movement and after the mechanical coupling of the past few hours; Sam couldn’t have been happier.  By the time they were finished, the room stank of their combined sweat and mingled scent- the unmistakable flavours of a new mate-ship.

  
∞жж‡жж∞

Bobby came home two days later to find the Impala missing and a twelve pack of beer with a hastily scrawled ‘Thank-you’ (in Sam’s hand-writing)awaiting his return.

  
∞жж‡жж∞  
 The End  
∞жж‡жж∞

Comment if you want to see the Alpha-Dean version as well!


	2. Version - Alpha Dean (part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alpha Dean version.  
> (No relation to the previous chapter apart from it originating from the same prompt.)

**For The Love Of His Mate**

**#Alpha Dean version**

Dean stared at the letter in his hand, his hand unconsciously going to the bite-mark on his left shoulder concealed under all his layers. It did not exactly come as a surprise to him that Sam wanted out of this lifestyle; but he had been unable to crush the fragile hope that had bloomed in his heart when Sam had bitten him during that last heat despite him asking not to. As he stared at the letter in his hand, he knew he had been right all along: Sam intended to leave... _Had intended to leave all along._  
  
He couldn’t help but wonder why his brother had been cruel enough to claim him in that case.  
  
Three weeks later when Sam threw that same letter in their father’s face announcing that he had been accepted with full scholarship by Stanford University and that he intended to attend college; Dean could only watch as his Omega left without a second glance.  
  
It felt like his heart was being carved right out of his body (and with a blunt knife at that); but Dean kept his silence, following his father’s lead and drowning the betrayal in alcohol. As he nursed the hangover from hell the next morning, he wondered on the wisdom of having taken the higher road. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been tempted during the past weeks to put his own mark on Sam and ensure that the kid couldn’t leave; but every time he had brushed those delicate bones on his little brother’s shoulder- thought of sinking his teeth into that vulnerable hollow at the bottom of his throat; he would remember promising his mother to always protect her baby.   
  
 _He hadn’t known then what that promise was going to end up costing him._  
  
  
  
In the end he had decided to take his chances: he was an alpha after-all; it couldn’t be all that bad, right? Omegas were the ones who could not stand to be separated from their mates. And he hadn’t claimed Sam to ensure that the little bitch wouldn’t just keel over trying to follow his dreams of an apple-pie life.   
  
 _So why the hell was he feeling so shitty?_  
  
He rubbed at his chest absently as he sipped at his cup of Joe; scanning the papers for any hunts. He found two.  
  
Dean wasn’t surprised when John Winchester decided they could cover more ground by splitting up. Without having to settle (even temporarily) for Sam; both Winchesters adopted the nomadic lifestyle in the earnest, never staying in one place for longer than a handful of days at a time. They exchanged co-ordinates and information on hunts. And Dean was glad that his Dad didn’t know enough ( _didn’t care enough_ , his mind corrected) to ask after his health.   
  
He dropped five pounds in a week and even sleeping for a full eight hour didn’t do anything for the dark circles ringing his eyes. One memorable instance even had him spending the entire weekend in bed- albeit the reason was the drugs pumped into him after a brief entanglement with a black-dog; but sleep was sleep, right?  
  
It had been two months, three weeks and four days since Sammy left ( _two months, three weeks and a day since Dad split from him_ ) when he abruptly realized he was barely a few hours from Sammy (and where had that thought suddenly come from?). And while he had been planning to drive out of town originally, the knowledge that he was so close to Sammy ( _to his mate_ ) created an unbearable urge to see the kid. Glancing through the paper to reassure himself that there were no hunts in the vicinity, he made an instantaneous decision to make the small detour.   
  
It hurt something terrible to watch Sam smile and laugh as he walked from one building to the next with his friends. But having seen the happy smile on his omega’s face with his own eyes Dean couldn’t find it in himself to regret the decision not to bite Sam back either. His brother was content here like he deserved to be. And Dean wasn’t going to drag his omega back to a life he hated just because he was feeling a bit under the weather.  
  
For the first time since Sam had left, Dean found himself surrendering to a peaceful sleep. He was surprised to realize that it was mid-afternoon when he awoke the next day.  _But surely he deserved some downtime for himself?_  And with that thought he lingered in Palo Alto for a week.  
  
Enough time for the dark purple bruises under his eyes to fade and for his rapid weight loss to register. It still didn’t stop him from feeling unseasonably cold or for that emptiness in his chest to disappear; but he was counting his wins where he could.   
  
When he got a fresh set of co-ordinates on day nine; he wordlessly packed his duffel and strode out, all his plans to go and actually talk to his brother abandoned.  
It wasn’t lost on him that his father kept him on hunts exclusively on the east coast after that; but following Winchester tradition, he said nothing. And it was another four more months ( _but who was counting?_ ) before he realized that the cuts and scrapes he sustained on hunts weren’t healing like they used to anymore. It was a mildly disturbing observation; but having made the same during the course of a fight with a poltergeist, there wasn’t a lot he could do about it right then. By the time he made his escape from the house (-  _victorious, naturally)_ ; he had forgotten all about it.  
  
The next month, he collapsed on his way back from a hunt. Fortunately the Impala had been parked at the time and nothing worse than him waking with a kink in his back occurred.   
  
  
The second time it happened (a fortnight after the first instance), he wasn’t as lucky.

∞жж‡жж∞

“It’s  _Viyog_   _Syndrome._ ”  
  
John Winchester’s eyes narrowed, “English.” He growled. Having not slept since getting the call from the hospital a little over forty-eight hours ago, he was in no mood for medical jargon.  
  
“You may know of it as  _Widow’s disease._ ” The young doctor offered helpfully with a sympathetic smile.   
  
The hunter’s eyes bugged, “That’s impossible.”  
  
“It’s quite common for mates not to survive after the demise of their partners.” She told him with what he assumed was her version of a conciliatory expression. It just served to annoy him even further.  
  
“My son is not mated!”  
  
The young beta’s eyes softened, “I’m afraid he is, Sir.”  
  
“How can you be so sure?” He couldn’t help but ask.  
  
“He has a claiming bite.”  
  
“Where?” His inner sceptic demanded.  
  
The woman’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, “That’s private.”  
  
“My son is dying! You tell me where that bloody mark is this second...” He demanded, staring into the terrified eyes as he grabbed her by her lapels.  
  
“Le-left arm.” She managed to stutter as he dropped her and strode into his son’s room... his son; who had a machine breathing for him.  
  
Unceremoniously he yanked the pale blue hospital gown aside to confirm the doctor’s words with his own eyes; his mind refusing to believe that his baby boy would get mated and not tell him.  _And froze._  
  
For there on the pale freckled skin was the unmistakable imprint of teeth-marks.  
  
“Dean...” He could not help but whisper, his knees buckling under him. His youngest had left him in favour of ‘normal’ and his oldest...  _his rock_ was leaving him too. And the nature of Dean’s affliction made him wonder on his own love for his beloved Mary. How had he not died from whatever syndrome was ailing Dean?   
  
As he collapsed on the lone chair next to his eldest’s bed; he couldn’t help but question if he should inform Sam. Because irrespective of how much his baby boy argued with him, his sons were close. He had not missed how devastated Dean had been by Sam’s leaving even though he had tried to put on a brave face. And Dean had always catered to his younger brother- maybe he would answer that call even now-  _if Sam could be convinced to come_ , that is?  
  
The faint hope that rose in him at the thought was laughable; but he still hesitated before dialling the number-  _what if Sam failed to answer?_ Maybe it would be better if he used Dean’s phone instead- _surely Sam wouldn’t refuse a call from his brother?_  
  
Having decided on his course of action, John dug out his son’s phone from the bag with Dean’s belongings that the hospital had handed him, but his fingers still hovered over the familiar number of his youngest- hesitating.  
  
He jumped when the phone buzzed in his hands, eyes widening when he saw who was calling. In fact; he waited so long before accepting the call that it went to voice-mail and the cheerful voice of his youngest filled the room.  
  
“Hey Dean... I... well, I know you must be angry at me for not keeping in touch, but man- you can pick up the phone yourself at times, you know? Anyway thanks for the money and care-package you sent for my birthday... I know I’m a month late in informing you that I did get it... and... well, thanks.”  
  
John felt his eyes mist: without Dean to remind him he had forgotten Sam’s birthday, and he could not last recall when he had wished his oldest on his birthday. Guess Dean hadn’t been as careless.  
  
“Actually... I called to ask a favour.” His youngest continued, oblivious; “The alphas here are dicks, Dean... and I...well, I want to start on suppressants. It’s just that I need a consent letter from my alpha-guardian to fill in the prescriptions and I know Dad won’t agree... but I was hoping you could-”  
  
“I’ll sign the damn letter, Sam.” John finally managed to reply- his voice choked with emotions long suppressed. He wondered what it said about him that his sons wouldn’t even consider asking for help when they needed him.  
  
For a moment there was absolute silence from the other end of the line then, “Dad?”  
  
“It’s me, son.”  
  
“Why do you have Dean’s phone?” Instantly suspicious.  
  
“I-” John gulped, leave it to Sam to always ask the hard questions, “You’ll have to learn to get by without Dean, Sammy... we both will.”  
  
“Dad?” Disbelief colouring his youngest’s tone.  
  
“...”   
  
“What happened?”  
  
“He’s in coma... they say he’s not – not...” Unable to give voice to the terrible knowledge that he may lose that last bit of Mary- her vibrant smile that lived on in Dean’s. Sam; sadly was more like him than his beloved wife.  
  
“Where are you guys?”   
  
John wanted to be impressed by how Sam took charge of the situation; but it was all he could do to mumble the name of the town and wait for his youngest to arrive.

∞жж‡жж∞

Sam arrived intent on saving Dean irrespective of the cost. But he had been expecting his brother’s injuries to be from a hunt... not- not  _this!_  
The doctor shook her head, “Guess he fell for the myth...”  
  
“What myth?”  
  
“That Alpha’s don’t succumb to Viyog.”  
  
Sam shook his head, “No... No, Dean knew.” He didn’t explain how he could be so certain of Dean’s knowledge about Viyog, “Can I see him?”  
  
The doctor nodded even as John collapsed back on the hard plastic seat, and it unsettled Sam to see his father so despondent. But a minute later when he walked into the room and all the machines Dean had been hooked on started to clang their alarm; everything changed.

  
∞жж‡жж∞

“What- what’s happening?” Sam questioned the nurses who pushed past him into his brother’s room.  
  
“He’s responding...” The doctor mused to herself, “but that- that’s impossible unless...” She turned to Sam, “You’re his mate?”  
  
Sam could only blink.  
  
“You  _claimed_  Dean?” John Winchester thundered, having regained his composure now that it appeared that Dean was responding.  
  
Sam stared wide-eyed at the abruptly furious older-man, “I-I...”  
  
“Not happy with taking everything he has to give, you wanted him  _dead_?” John snarled.  
  
“No!” Sam protested, edging away from the obviously angry Hunter, “Of course not, Dad. I mean...”  
  
The doctor sensing the mounting tension, hastened to intervene, “Sir, your son may make complete recovery yet... if you can convince his mate to stay. So please...for his sake...” she trailed off.  
  
“Oh, trust me. My son’s  _mate_  isn’t going  _anywhere_.”  
  
The beta gave a curt nod- not questioning how he proposed to keep Dean’s mate in the room and walked out- not wanting to be caught between the two hulking men.  
  
And not for the first time, Sam felt like cowering in terror. “Dad... I didn’t know!”  
  
“No?” John challenged.   
  
And Sam couldn’t help but hang his head in shame as he remembered Dean telling him he could do anything  _except_  bite... obviously, he had not heeded his brother’s words and now Dean was paying the price.  
  
“I thought so.” The older man muttered.  
  
Sam bit his lip, suddenly parched. Callused fingers wrapped around his wrist as he stepped away, “And where do you think you’re going?”  
  
“Wa-water.” He whispered-  _their Dad seriously didn’t think that Sam was just going to leave Dean like this, did he?_  
  
“You think I believe you?” John sneered.  
  
“I’m not going to leave Dean to die!” He burst out- horrified by the accusation.  
  
“As if it’s not something you’ve not done before.” John growled.  
  
“I just want some water, Dad.”  
  
“And I want my son alive.” A mirthless smile, “Guess we don’t always get what we want, huh?”  
  
Sam glowered but one glance at the myriad machines that Dean was hooked to kept him silent. The uneasy truce continued till late evening when the nurses came by to check on Dean.  
  
“You know, he would have done anything for you...  _Did_  do anything for you.” John finally broke the silence; watching the nurse straighten the covers and check the various machines hooked to his son.  
  
Sam nodded morosely, a hand brushing over the thin (nearly) bloodless fingers of his brother’s hand. Neither man paid any note to the nurse as he left, closing the door softly behind himself.  
  
“He’s the one who told me to let you go.”  
  
Sam looked up sharply at that-  _let him go?_  
  
John chuckled- it could have been a sob for all Sam knew, “Guess he didn’t expect me to tell you never to come back though.”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“Dean knew, Sam. He knew that you planned to leave us weeks before you told me- us... Told me that this life was killing you and that you were better suited for college.”  
  
“You didn’t believe him?” He asked softly. Guiltily.  
  
“No,” John shook his head, “I knew that he was correct. But hunting’s not a weekend job, Sammy. You can’t have your feet in both boats; you’re either in or you’re out.”  
  
Sam nodded, catching on. “You wanted me in.”  
  
“I hoped, yeah.” His father acknowledged, “Not as much as Dean though.”  
  
Sam’s reply was interrupted when the door opened again to allow a familiar face in.  
  
“Bobby?” They chorused.  
  
“I came as soon as I heard, John. I’m so sorry.”  
  
John shook his head, smiling without real humour “Found the remedy.”  
  
“For  _Viyog_?” Bobby asked, incredulous.  
  
“Yeah,” John grunted, “Turns out Sam was the one to mate him.”  
  
“Not mate,” Bobby growled, pinning Sam with an unnerving stare, “He just  _claimed_  your oldest. Right, Sam?”  
  
“Bobby!” He protested, “It’s not like I knew.”  
  
“No? You’re telling me you didn’t know about Viyog?” The older hunter challenged.  
  
“I know about Viyog.” Sam huffed, “I didn’t know that Dean would suffer from it.”  
  
“Rather naive of you, wasn’t it?” Bobby growled, “I mean Dean did fulfil the role of an alpha for you in all but name.”  
  
Sam looked away, blushing- he couldn’t deny the truth in Bobby’s words;  _had he really been blind not to realize what had been going on between them?_  
  
But Bobby wasn’t finished, “He nursed you through your heats, Sam. And this is how you repay him?”  
  
And Sam wanted the floor to swallow him up in shame. He steadfastly refused to meet the eyes of either older hunter; keeping his focus on the too-still features of his brother.  
  
“You honestly felt nothing?” John asked after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence.  
  
Sam glanced up, mutely shaking his head in refusal.   
  
“He won’t unless Dean claims him too.” Bobby announced to the room at large.  
  
“And of course Dean wouldn’t have done that... not when he knew you wanted to leave” John finished.  
  
Sam blinked back tears but stayed silent. He couldn’t help but wish that Dean was awake; because he didn’t doubt his brother would have stood up for him... and perhaps therein lay the problem- Dean focussed so much of his energy on Sam, that he had no reserves left to ensure his own welfare.  
  
He didn’t move when the two older men went to lunch; declining to move from his brother’s side. “Please wake up,” he whispered, head buried in the crook of a life-less arm, “I need you, Dean. Please.”  
  
“You ungrateful brat,” a voice growled behind him and Sam lifted tear-stained cheeks to find Bobby glaring at him, “Even now everything has to be about you, doesn’t it? Tell me, Sam; would you have come if you hadn’t needed Dean?”  
  
Sam hiccuped a sob even as he felt bile rise at the cruel accusation. He considered walking out; but one glance at his brother’s pale face had him shouldering the blame without protest. He deserved it after all; if not for him, Dean wouldn't be in this condition.

 

\----

tbc


	3. Version - Alpha Dean (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alpha Dean version. (continued)

By next morning, Dean had recovered enough not to require the ventilator. Although he was yet to regain consciousness; following Winchester tradition, his limp form was ferreted out of the hospital.  
  
Sam crawled into the backseat of Bobby’s truck; twisting in the bench- seat to accept Dean in a reversal of their childhood roles when Dean was the only seatbelt that Sam had ever required. He was not surprised when the truck came to a halt in front of a no-name motel- the kind his family had favoured ( _still did_ )before Sam left for Stanford. He stepped out of the vehicle when he spotted the Impala parked in front of one of the rooms-Dean in his arms in a bridal hold that Sam knew without a doubt Dean would’ve protested had he been awake.  
  
He struggled with the dead weight but at the same time was intensely grateful for it as well; proof as it was that Dean was alive.  
  
  
Neither of the older men offered to help.  
  
  
“Skin-to-skin contact is the best remedy for Viyog.” Bobby announced the minute the door had closed behind them.  
  
Sam blinked. He could see the single king-size bed that had already been stripped over the hunter’s shoulder. Moving carefully, he gently lowered Dean into the soft mattress, grateful that for once the motel seemed to have clean sheets and a decent mattress.  He straightened to find both older men staring at him expectantly.  
  
“What Bobby means,” John explained when Sam failed to react, “is that you and Dean should share as much direct contact as can be managed.”  
  
He nodded, gulping.  
  
“What’re you waiting for, boy?” Bobby demanded.  
  
“I-”  
  
“Undress and get in the damn bed, will’ya? Bloody idgit!”  
  
He glanced down to where their father was already disrobing Dean before moving towards the bathroom to change.  
  
“Here.” Bobby glowered.  
  
Sam could only stare at the aging hunter, “He-here? You want me to undress here?”  
  
“It’s nothing we haven’t seen before, Sammy.” John added.  
  
Blushing furiously, Sam could only do as demanded; hurriedly stripping off his layers till his boxers were all that remained. Not glancing at either of the two men; he climbed into the bed next to his brother.  
  
“Hand”  
  
Busy looking at the shrunken form of the once larger than-life figure next to him; Sam at first didn’t understand the command, “Huh?”  
  
“Hand” John repeated.  
  
“Oh,” He wordlessly extended the right hand- palm up; wondering if their Dad had some charm to speed Dean’s recovery.  
  
“Other one”  
  
Not sure why it mattered, Sam obeyed; wordlessly extending his left hand and jumping in surprise when steel handcuffs were unceremoniously snapped on and attached to the headboard.  
  
“It would be in your best interests to not attempt an escape.” John told him before sweeping out of the room. Bobby followed suit and Sam heard the door latch from outside.  
  
“So much for having ‘faith in your family’,” He sighed, mouthing the oft-repeated words he had had drilled into him throughout his childhood. He had no delusions about his chances of escape and even if he did; Sam had no intention of leaving Dean to die in some dingy motel room.  
  
“Guess it’s just the two of us... again.” He murmured; curving into the familiar-yet-not body; surprised that despite his new height, he could still fit as perfectly against Dean.  
  
He assumed he had drifted off curled into the familiar warmth, because he was woken by a gentle tapping against the side of his face.  
  
“Dea-?” He asked sleepily only to find their father shaking his head sadly.  
  
“Not yet,”  
  
“What?” He sat up, blushing as he realized that he had entangled himself with Dean thoroughly in sleep.  
  
“Bathroom break. Then lunch.” John Winchester informed him in his usual gruff manner although Sam could see that the rigidness of his shoulders eased slightly as he noticed that Dean’s colour had improved somewhat.  
  
Sam nodded, training making him head for the washroom the second his cuffs were undone. He came back to find John pulling out two cartons from plastic bags. Hesitating only briefly, he picked one carton and went to sit on the bed where Dean was still to pale and too unmoving for his comfort...casually brushing up against his brother.  
  
Apparently he hadn’t been as casual about it as he’d hoped because he saw their Dad’s eyes linger on where they were touching before he gave a curt nod and pulled a chair closer to the bed.  
  
“So you and Dean, huh?” He asked after a moment.  
  
Sam had the grace to blush- because while sibling mates weren’t unheard of; they were still rare.  
  
“Not... not exactly,” he found himself responding, “It was only during my heats.”  
  
“So you’re saying this is my fault?” John challenged.  
  
Both knew that it was only because John had refused to buy any of the ‘heat-relief products’-as they were politely known; that Dean had taken it upon himself to ease Sam’s heats... allowing Sam free reign of his body to take whatever he needed to make it through those trying days. Not once had Dean objected to anything Sam did- except for the biting part.  
  
At the time the omega had naively put it down to another of Dean’s ‘no-chick-flick moments’ rule; but obviously that hadn’t been the case. True; he was usually out of it towards the end of his heats- often waking to find the alpha covered in marks; but by unspoken agreement, they both chose to ignore it with one of them rolling out of bed and heading to shower and the other eventually following suit. It wasn’t until now that Sam noticed that not once had he ever had a mark on him after those forty-eight hours.  
  
He found himself wondering when exactly had he put his claim on Dean- had it been right at the beginning; when he was still trying to come to terms with the knowledge that he was going to have these monthly cycles when his body would not be his own for a day-or-more.  
  
But...no-  
He had stitched Dean’s mauled shoulder a couple of months before leaving and Dean hadn’t had any marks then. So... that narrowed it down to his last two heats before leaving.  Maybe he could put it down to his sub-conscious desperately trying to hold onto the one thing he didn’t want to lose when he left to follow his dreams.  
  
“Sam?” John’s voice brought him out of his thoughts.  
  
“Hmmm?”  
  
“Where’d you get lost?”  
  
He shook his head, “Jus’ trying to figure why Dean never said anything...”  
  
“Have you  _met_  your brother, Sam?” John snorted, the barest hint of a smile tugging at his lips when he spoke of his oldest. “You think he would’ve done anything that could have interfered with your chances of making it to Stanford?”  
  
Sam bit his lip, unable to look up and knowing it was true. He remembered how Dean had withdrawn into himself during his last month- at the time he had put it down to Dean’s moodiness, but looking at it in hindsight, he wondered how much of it had been heartbreak.  
  
Dean had always preferred to grieve in silence and maybe rather than the moodiness Sam had pinned it on, Dean had been grieving his departure; trying to steal himself for the unavoidable pain. He hadn’t given a clue to his very real heartbreak; and Sam supposed it said a great deal about the kind of person Dean was that he’d not once attempted to talk his brother out of leaving. Hadn’t thrown around ultimatums and tried to blackmail him into staying.  
  
After his meal, Sam couldn’t even find it in himself to protest against being cuffed to the bedpost. He wordlessly curled up next to his brother, willing the too-still body to rouse and trying not to remember that in some cases the individuals suffering from Viyog never recovered.  
  
  
  
It was another thirty-six hours before his prayers were answered- Dean waking the same way as he had after any injury,“S’mmy?”  
  
“Yeah,” He choked out; leaning close to Dean so that the older man wouldn’t have to crane his neck to see him. Nearly a whole year and still his brother’s first syllables when he wakes were Sam’s name.  
  
His brother’s face pinched in a mixture of hurt and grief, a whispered ‘no’ making it past his lips before he succumbed to exhaustion again. Sam could only stare; tears streaming unchecked down his cheeks as he realized that he had hurt his alpha so badly that even weakened as he was, Dean didn’t want to see him.  
  
He spent the day with wet eyes and a guilty conscience- neither John nor Bobby making a move to assuage his guilt as they waited for Dean to wake up again. He knew that his brother didn’t want him there; but he was unable to simply walk away knowing that Dean’s life very literally depended on his presence.  
  
It was a full day before Dean came round again. For a second time tired green eyes blinked blearily open with a ‘Sammy?’  
  
“Right here.”  _God, but his voice sounded like he’d been gargling glass._  
  
“Not...’ere.”  
  
Sam angled himself closer, leaning over and taking those thin fingers in his own, “I’m here, Dean... not leaving you again.”  
  
“No.” The two-letter word breathed out as though it was an exercise in exertion.  
  
“Not... Not leaving you, Dean.” He whispered; unable to hide the tears he’d been adamant to keep from his brother only minutes ago.  
  
“S...s’pposed ...be...’ppy.” The older brother managed between laboured breaths and Sam felt his heart shatter all over again.  
  
“You think I’d be happy if you die?” He couldn’t help but ask.  
  
“No.” Dean breathed deeply, straining to make himself understood, “Schoo... happy?”  
  
Sam nodded, “Yeah.... yeah I was happy at school, bro.”  
  
“Good.” Dean managed a strained smile, his features relaxing once he heard that Sam had been happy at Stanford. “School...Go.”  
  
“Not without you... you’re my mate, Dean. It’ll kill you if I leave.”  He explained.  
  
“Don’t matter... you school...happy.”  
  
And Sam could only stare- his life or Sam’s happiness: apparently Dean thought that was the only choice before him.  
  
 _And still he chose Sam’s happiness._  
  
  
  
Sam felt bile rise up in his throat at the knowledge and moved unthinkingly, only to be yanked back by the handcuffs. He watched as Dean’s eyes followed to the source of the problem; awareness brightening them when he noticed the cuffs.  
  
“Sam?”  
  
“It’s okay.” He hastened to assure, hearing all those unspoken questions in the way his name was spoken. “It was just Dad and Bobby trying to make sure that I didn’t take off into the night again.”  
  
“They  _chained_  you up??!” He roared, too weak to sound anything but kittenish, but Sam was relieved to note that his recent ordeal had done nothing to temper Dean’s fire.  
  
“I wasn’t leaving you in either case, Dean; it doesn’t matter.” He pleaded.  
  
“Call Dad. Tell him to free you this instant.” The older brother ordered and it abruptly struck Sam that Dean was yet to move.  
  
Irrespective, Sam chose to obey; making the call and waiting the single minute it took for both older hunters to barge into their room.  
  
“Dean!” And Sam could hear the relief and love that was wrapped around the name.  
  
“Dad,” Dean acknowledged, “Bobby.”  
  
“Glad to see you awake, boy.”  
  
Dean nodded, meekly accepting Sam’s help in sitting him up and Sam had to wonder if Dean was once again trying to prepare himself for his departure.  
“I’d appreciate it if you could release Sam now.” Dean said; the words having more impact for the quiet way they were spoken.  
  
“You shouldn’t allow him to do this to you-” Bobby began, only to falter at Dean’s quelling look.  
  
“He’s not doing anything. It was my choice.”  
  
“Dean-” John began, only to be cut off by his son.  
  
“You were the one to tell him to stay gone if he leaves, Dad; and then you drag him back to this life?”  
  
“You were dying!”  
  
“Then maybe you should have let me die in peace!” Dean shot back, chest heaving from the stress on his worn body.  
  
“Dean, please.” Sam interrupted delicately, placing a hand on the tense shoulder and pushing the older man back. The alpha glanced at him, features automatically softening in response to the distress on his omega’s face.  
  
“You can get back to your classes Sam.” Dean told him, patting his hand.  
  
“I’m not leaving you.” Sam repeated.  
  
Dean looked at the three sets of determined eyes staring at him and sighed; giving in to his exhaustion and going back to sleep. Or at least pretending to(not that he was pretending for long).  
  
Sam gave an awkward smile to the two older hunters and slid in under the covers again; biting his lip to hide the smile when Dean automatically leaned into his touch.

  
It was two more days before they pronounced Dean fit for his so-called ‘real-food’ and permitted him to step out of the motel room he’d been confined in. And though his eyes were still ringed with dark purple bruises (prompting Sam to call him ‘Raccoon eyes’ much to his disgust); he was back to being the Dean that they all knew- flirting with their beta-waitress and showcasing his obnoxious table-manners.  
  
Which was why none of them batted an eye when he excused himself to take a leak. It was almost a minute when Sam realized that Dean may try to make a break for it and stood up.  
  
“Pie,” he muttered to John’s raised eyebrow-not wanting to disclose his fear and hurried to the counter to ask if they had a rear entrance.  
  
He would have never believed that slow-moving figure to be his brother if he had not recognized the leather jacket.  
  
“Alpha!”He called, racing to catch up just as the man hailed a cab.  
  
Dean raised an eye at the unusual call, but he paused long enough to give Sam a chance to approach.  
  
“Please don’t leave...I-I’ll do anything, man. Just... stay.”  
  
“It’s for the best, Sa-” Dean began, but was interrupted by the cab-driver slamming the door shut.  
  
“I’m not going to aid you in leaving your omega behind.” The man growled, stepping on the accelerator and nearly running over the young alpha’s feet in the process.  
  
Sam blushed, ducking his head as he realized that most people would find Dean at fault just because he was the alpha in their relation. He reached out to snag the older man’s sleeve, “C’mon.”  
  
Dean stumbled, hobbling behind unsteadily as his tired body tried to keep up with his brother’s pace. He slid into the Impala’s passenger seat mutely, staring out of the window and refusing to admit that his escape attempt had gone bust.  
  
He was still mutinously refusing to look at Sam when the younger brother brought the Impala to a halt by the side of the road.  
  
“Why?”  
  
Dean twisted in surprise, “Huh?”  
  
“You knew what I’d done, Dean. You knew; but you didn’t put your own claim on me. You never even asked me to stay... I just wanna know why?”  
  
“You wanted out of this life.” The alpha admitted softly, “I didn’t want to be the thing that held you back.”  
  
“And when you realized you were dying? You still thought it was okay?” Sam couldn’t help but ask incredulously.  
  
Dean shrugged.  
  
“Did it ever strike you that maybe I’d been waiting for  _you_  to make a move? That I’d put my claim on you because I _wanted_  to be yours?”  
  
“How stupid do you think I am, Sammy? Getting mated wasn’t even on your radar... as for putting your claim on me... pure accident. Hell, you didn’t even know ‘bout it till Dad and Bobby dragged you back!”  
  
“It wasn’t like that.” Sam whispered; taken aback by the knowledge that Dean was under the impression that he’d been forced to return by their Dad.  
  
“No?” Dean challenged.  
  
“No,” He responded firmly, desperately needing Dean to believe. “I’d called to thank you for the care package you’d sent when Dad answered. He didn’t ask me to come.”  
  
The older brother gave a non-committal grunt; and Sam decided he had had enough; moving swiftly to straddle the alpha and press their lips together. Dean bucked but Sam held firm, not letting up till the older man gave in.  
  
Surprisingly; it didn’t take long.  
  
  
  
The kiss going from awkward to perfect the second Dean took over, one hand sliding over Sam’s back to mould them together.  
  
They were both breathing hard by the time they pulled apart; Dean’s forehead coming forward to lean against Sam’s shoulder even as his hand continued to move up and down his back in hypnotic rhythmic motions.  
  
“S’rry.”  
  
Sam jerked as though slapped, “I was the one who initiated it!”  
  
“Shouldn’t have responded,” Dean mumbled.  
  
“Dude, we’re mates; of course you should have responded.”  
  
Pained green eyes met his, “You deserve better.”  
  
Sam shrugged, “But I want you.”  
  
“Fine, let’s say I do agree to claim you; how’s it even going to work, Sammy? You’ll be at Stanford- I’m a hunter-”  
  
“I can hunt with you.” Sam interrupted, panicking when the alpha shook his head, “Or- or- or... you could make Palo Alto your home base; lots of hunters do that... like Bobby or... or Pastor Jim.”  
  
“Okay.”  
  
“Okay?” Sam repeated dumbly, unable to believe that it had been so easy.  
  
“Yeah, but Sam; hunting’s not an easy gig... what if I don’t make it back?”  
  
“Huh?” Sam flinched at the idea of Dean not  _‘making-it-back’_.  
  
“Viyog, Sam... I don’t make it back and you suffer from Viyog.” He growled, adding under his breath, “Like I did.”  
  
Sam shrugged, “Guess you’ll just have to make sure that you do come back to me.”  
  
The alpha groaned, his head thumping back on the head rest. He kept his eyes closed for a moment, trying to ignore the enticingly wriggling omega in his lap and think of a reason to discourage him from pursuing this at the same time. Given that his brother seemed little concerned about his own welfare, he tried another track, “What would Dad say-?”  
  
And as though his name had summoned him, Dean’s phone began to buzz- the screen showing ‘Dad calling’.  
  
Sam refused to budge from his position, simply leaning back to recline against the dashboard as Dean answered.  
  
“Dad-?”  
  
“Sam’s with me.” He responded to whatever was being said, then- “No.... yeah-” followed by a scandalised, “What?!” A pause, “Yeah, I was afraid that’s what you’d said... but Sir... he’s your son-” A laugh, “Yes.  Tell Bobby I-” He glanced at Sam, “We appreciate it. Thanks, yeah... Okay, Bye.”  
  
“Well?”  
  
“He said not to go back unless we were mated.”  
  
He couldn’t help but laugh at Dean’s stunned expression, “No threats?”  
  
Dean shook his head, “He said if it would make me feel better; he promised to; and I quote-‘ _beat the crap outta whichever one of us hurt the other.’_ ”  
  
Sam nodded; unable to hide the grin splitting his face- shifting subtly to rub up against Dean. The older man groaned, hands’ coming to clamp on the omega’s hip to still his squirming, “And Bobby’s granted us access to his fishing cabin for the fortnight.”  
  
Sam’s grin got even wider, as he raised a lascivious eyebrow “Shall we?”  
  
Dean ducked his head, crimson blooming on his cheeks but nodded his assent.  
  
  
  
Despite Dean’s acquiescence, Sam wasn’t prepared to be slammed against the door the moment they set foot inside the cabin.  
Not that he was complaining.  
  
He blushed when Dean spread him out on the freshly laundered cotton sheets, a predatory gleam in his emerald eyes; but didn’t move to cover himself. And for the first time he understood why betas and omegas everywhere considered his brother a sex-god.  
  
Despite the knowledge that Sam’s body had been built for it; Dean still took his time preparing the younger male- trying to ascertain that his omega would experience no discomfort. Sam was panting harshly, his alpha’s knot lodged firmly in him and both of them were trying to hold back their orgasms when Dean nuzzled into the vulnerable hollow behind his ear, nibbling on the sensitive skin there; “You’re sure about this?”  
  
Sam twisted to look his brother in the eye- Dean’s eyes were dark with arousal, but they still promised that Dean would stop if Sam just said the word. He nodded wordlessly.  
  
Sam nearly got a whiplash from the swiftness with which the arousal turned to adoration in his brother’s eyes before Dean was bending and the sharp points of his canines were pressing into the omega’s skin. Instead of biting outright though, Dean continued to nibble on the tender area, nipping and licking till Sam was trembling with the need to be claimed.  
  
When the teeth finally sank into his skin though; Sam couldn’t hold back anymore, his orgasm crashing over him like a tidal wave- the sharp spike of pain the perfect counterpoint to the pleasure coursing through his veins.  
  
“Alpha...” Sam sighed as he came down from the pleasurable high, arms tightening to prevent Dean from withdrawing.  
  
“My Omega,” the older man whispered back, cleaning the blood from the claiming bite with soft kitten-licks.  
  
Sam purred in approval, leaning into the touch to grant the alpha better access and snuggling closer. Dean simply laughed, tightening his hold around the lithe body- his recent brush with death a thing of the past with his mate in his arms.  
  
For a moment they lay in silence, the soft thumping sound of the fishing boat as it bobbed on the lake’s water the only sound for miles and for a moment Dean couldn’t help but wish that they could escape the world and its problems by staying here.  
  
But then his omega snuffled in his sleep and burrowed closer; making Dean smile. It didn’t matter. Whatever happened, they would face it  _together_.

  
∞жж‡жж∞  
 **The End**  
∞жж‡жж∞

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a promot on spn_kinkmeme:  
> The night before Sam leaves for Stanford, he and Dean give into their desires and have sex. It shouldn't be a problem, sure _'s an alpha and _'s an omega but it takes more then a knot to mate (author can come up with something odd here, like maybe to 'mate for life' the alpha has to knot, and nibble an ear lobe or something, something that nobody would think twice about, yet it seals the connection between alpha and omega for life.) Dean knows this and realises Sam is going to do whatever, he tries to stop him (without telling him the mating part) and Sam just takes it as one of Dean's no chick flicks moments thing and ignores him.
> 
> The next morning Sam leaves for Stanford and doesn't look back. Meanwhile Dean begins to suffer. As a mated individual without his mate around, he slowly starts to deteriorate...but Dean is nothing if not stubborn and he refuses to 'trap' Sam, even if it costs him is life. He gets worse and worse until he ends up in the hospital practically on his death bed.
> 
> By the time anybody bothers to tell Sam that Dean is sick and dying, Dean is already in a coma. He wont last much longer, it's a miracle he's lasted this long already.
> 
> When Sam arrives and Dean's health starts improving (slowly but noticeable) Bobby an John figure it out. Sam mated with Dean, he's the missing mate. Both men are furious with him, blame him for everything Dean has went through. (I'd love to see them both really hard on him)
> 
> Sam honestly didn't have a clue, sure he's missed Dean and had felt this pull but he thought it was just a lifetime of living in Dean's back pocket. If he had known, he never would have left, not without Dean.
> 
> Lots of angst, especially on Sam's part. Life saving/make up sex and happy ending please.


End file.
